NY Senate leadership feeling pressure over budget

Labor unions and advocacy groups are lobbying the state Senate leadership to include the Dream Act and public campaign financing in its budget resolutions.

The New York Dream Act would allow undocumented students access to state tuition assistance programs.

Spokesmen for the Senate leadership on Wednesday would only say negotiations are continuing on the resolution.

The lobbying comes as Senate Republicans and breakaway Democrats tried to agree on a fiscal plan that will outline that house’s positions in budget negotiations. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders face an April 1 deadline to finalize a spending plan.

The Dream Act and a public campaign financing measure are included in the Assembly budget resolution, which was to be voted on Wednesday.